Internal Corporate Communication Strategies Used in the Implementation of Performance Contracts: A Study of One Corporation in Kenya

Abstract

This paper analyses the Internal Corporate Communication (hereafter, ICC) strategies used in the implementation of performance contracts in one large public corporation in Kenya. Internal Corporate Communication (hereafter ICC) is sharing of information, meaning and understanding within corporation. ICC has core tenets that if managed professionally would promote successful institutionalization of corporate programmes. However, there is increasing concern among communications professionals and scholars that ICC continues to be generally done haphazardly in most organizations resulting in varied levels of success in implementation of important corporate policies and programmes such as performance contracting. On the other hand, literature reviewed reveals that currently, there is relatively minimal research that has examined the use of ICC in the implementation of performance contracts in public organizations. The paper is based on the findings of a study submitted for a Masters degree in Communication Studies in one university in Kenya focusing on one of the research questions. The study adopted the qualitative case study design and was conducted in the Western region of Kenya involving 42 participants. Data was generated using interviews and document analysis and was analyzed thematically. Some of the ICC strategies highlighted in the paper are: communicating corporate ownership of PCs, instituting consistency in communicating about PCs and using change as a strategy in communicating about PCs. The paper highlights the need to educate the internal publics of organizations on the meaning and significance of ICC in deciding the nature of strategies to be used in implementing performance contracts.